Pensacola offers the best of all worlds to visitors. Located on the northern bank of the broad Pensacola Bay, Pensacola is five miles inland from the nearest beach. Its prime features are a naval aviation school, white beaches that remain relatively untouched, and its historic center occupied by the Spanish from 1559.
The beaches of the Pensacola area are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, with the unsurpassed serenity of emerald green waters and white quartz sand. These beaches and the surrounding areas are protected by the Gulf Islands National Seashore (US National Park Service), so the natural environment can thrive. Watch an osprey return to its nest with a freshly caught fish at Big Lagoon State Park or for a small fee catch fish right off the old Pensacola Bay Bridge.
Inside the US naval base located in Pensacola, the National Naval Aviation Museum exhibits US naval aircraft. They range from the first flimsy seaplane acquired in 1911 to the Phantoms and Hornets of more recent times.
You won't want to miss the Pensacola Historical Museum on Zaragosa Street, with overviews of the nations whose flags flew over Pensacola, and the Civil War Soldiers Museum, which focuses on life in Pensacola during those years. Popular with military reunions, the Wall South at Veterans Memorial Park on Bayfront Parkway is a one-half scale replica of the design in Washington, D.C.
Pensacola also offers a variety of shopping and entertainment options. The Quietwater Beach Boardwalk is great for browsing after a relaxing day on the beach, with numerous stores and boutiques. Antique collectors and art enthusiasts will find much to do in the downtown area that showcases wonderful art galleries featuring local and regional art, as well as traveling exhibits in the Pensacola Museum of Art.
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